Multiple contactor



Nav. 3o, 194s. F. FRI-:SE 2,454,788`

MULTIPLE GONTACTOR Filed Feb. 5, 1945 4 -3 She'etS-Sheet ll V- H l Nov. 30, 1948;

MULTIPLE CONTACTOR Filed Feb. 5, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. F. FREsE v 2,454,788

Nov. 30, 1948 J. F. FRI-:SE

MULTIPLE CONTACTOR 3 Sheets-Shet 3 Filed Feb. 5, 1945 Patented Nov. 30, 1948 .sir-Mss MULTIPLE CGNCEAGTOR Joseph .F.lrese, Baltimore,..Md.,..assignor to' '.The .Monitor 'Controller Company, "Baltimore," Md., .a corporation of Maryland knplicationFebruai-y 5, 1945; SerialNos5f76g31-3 5'Claims. .1

'lA My-inventionrrelateszhroadly to lhigh frequency l. 'electrical-switches:'and :more particularly to` an eirnproved constructionfnfradio lfrequency contaeter. Vforrhigh lfrequency electrical switches.

k 011ev of; the'ebjeicts sofimy Iinvention is to 'pro- 1 videz an @improved contacter 'for radio frequency fswitcheahaving ahigh degree ofelectrical and rmechanical- .-efciency.

Another object-.ot Emy? invention .is to fprovide vanconstruction-.of ra'dioifrequency contacter for .;high` frequency -switches comprising a multi- ...plicity'of resilientstrip members of progressively s increasingrlengthsunited` at one end and having r.contactfprojectionsof .unitorm-length at the Aopposite ends i disposed .in coacting relation for. nestablishing:progressivaconnection-With a switch .contacton v.Another .object Lof my inventionis to-.provide a A-iconstruction.of :radi-o frequency contacter con- .sistingaof-a .multiplicity of laminations secured atene.endcandrfree=to-movein a fanflikespread at their opposite ends as said stripmemberspro- '..gressively establish 'connection rwith a. ccacting f contact-.for establishing a `multi-.surface "connecf tion for fradio :frequency currents.

' Still another object. of my invention is. to-pro- 1 ividea .contactor Asystemfor radio frequency currents in'whichla .large surface area .is .provided for carrying radio .frequency currents between circuit terminals througha multiplicity of pro-l l .gr-essively .closa-ble contact..elements.

Still .another `abject ofimy. .inventionris tor .provide. an improved method .ot applyinghighlyconfl ductive .terminal elements to 4.laminated -contact strip members arranged`- to be V.secured .together :at one end and free for progressive .displacement i atthein opposite Iends .for..progressively closing a .high frequencyelectrical circuit `with respect to anncv-alele contactor.

Other-and furtherfobjects oflmyinvention re- 1 :aside in fthe construction of.. a 1 laminated contact .wsystem forfradiofrequency. currents `as .set forth -more fully. in-the speciiicationfv hereinafter following by reference. to the-accompanying. drawings,

i irr which:

..-.F-igure. 1. fis. afsiideelevational sview.. of a..high

u frequency switchmeqnipped with-a radio L frefqu'ency 'contacter embodying .mysinverition Fig. ...12:is an enlarged :fragmentary elevational i view showing .a movable contacter.operative.between i two of rthe lradio frequency. contactdevices .fof my l1invention'; Fig;- 3 isa. front..elevational lvew. ofthe multiple .contactoi1`V of .-my.. invention; .,Fig. 4 .is a side .elevational view. of the multiple .contacter 'of fmyinvention; F.ig.-.5 illustrates the,.manner..fof 4applying.V awccntact surface totoneof .the-contact fstrips `in the contacter fof :my [invention Eig 6 eis acrossesectional viewshowingfthe contact surace. applied-:tothe: contactistrip ffFig. 7 .isazaitransffmersexrsectional view .:th1oii.'.f,flr therrrcontactiistrip tand. .contacting .surface taken. on line l-'l,of.1ii.g. 6;.-Fig 8..isaa...crossssectional.View of. a movable A.contacter moving .lin Vvcoacting ...relation [to 4the fmultiple contactoro -my invention for .progressivelyfclosing acircuit .through opposite .cir-

cuit termina1s;..liig." 9..is,a,vie.w,similar to. the vieW shownin Fig.,.8..but .illustrating .the progressive circuit .closing operation in .a more `advanced =vstage;.:iFig.,.lshows thcpro-gressive operation of ycthe- `contacter andthe multiple .contacter com- .lpleted andthe-.high frequency .contact established ;.F.ig.. .lllis .a transverse sectional view. taken through..thepositionof .support ,for the multiple .contactorpn linel lI-.-.|I.of..1.ig. '8; `Ilig. i2. is a fragmentaryelevational View ofthe movable con- .tactoremployedin association. with the multiple `contactor,..of my.invention;"Figl`3 is a trans- .fverse sectional.view takenson'line |3--i'3 O'f Fig. n.8; Fig. lislaplan view ofgthe guidefor the 1am- `.inated .-.contactor; I lig...l5. is .a longitudinal sec- @stional view taken throughtheguide online |5-1 5 `of:1ig...14i;jandlEig.. 16 is a transverse sectional viewthroughcthegilide on line IE-LI ofjFig. `14. Referring tothedravvings indetail the electrif ,cal Contact` system isccmposed of aAplurality-of relatively narrow strip-like members .that I'have .,lindicatedby.reference characters. lf2, 3, 455,6, l,8 .and.f9 stacked. in superimposed relation and V.securedtogether at one endby solder. For pur- ,poses..of,.,explaining.my inventiong 'havei indicated lthesolder spread into layers l0 intermedi- .fatezthe strips. `LIt will `.be understood, however, that.the.soliler'layers'may inzfact, not actually .constituteseparators for the `strips"lout'rnerely ,..provide..junction. means for the edges ofthe .superimposedstrips for binding the strips" as a ...unitiattheends thereof. .The ends of the strips .as .thus united .are.. drilledas represented at I2 for the. passage f..a securingscrew M having a screiv-slottedhead' Ma and extending th'rough'a ,Washermember lbearing .againsta channel .shaped-.guide/plate member I Whichhas` aflat portion that bears againstthe exterior surface .of-theirst .of the resilient strips ofthe multiple contact .deviceasfindicated .at` l 5and a; pair of ,parallel extending. side portions ISa and` `ll'z. The strips ,constituting the lmultiple contact .system .are of vdiffering thicknesses, Vthe strips I ,andi forming therear limit yof the contact' system ..having.greaterfthickness than"the"fst1ips 3, 4,-5, Egrl, Sand E which are of shorter effective length. .'llhe several strips thus securedtogether at-one ...end arefree to spread in fanflike arrangement Av-asindicated morezparticularly in Figs. 9 and 10. Thetoplimiting. stripjS of the multiple Contact system abutsidirectlyagainst. an abutment strip I1 which is confined between the ...side portions \.\-I\;6afand .lbofthe channel .shaped guide. plate '.:mernber--lfand extends innsurface contact with t'he anglenmember.-l8.:into .which .the .securing 3 screw I4 is screw-threaded. The channel shaped member I6 has the sides Ilia and Ib thereof spaced from opposite edges Ia and I 8b of the angle member I8 for allowing the contact strips to freely move in a fan-like spread, without appreciable transverse displacement.

The angle member I8 is secured to any suitable supporting surface such as the insulation material represented at I9 by means of screw member 20 which extends through the insulation material I9 and is engaged by means of screw threads in the angle member I8. The angle member I8 is disposed at a predetermined acute angle with respect to the supporting surface I9 to provide for the mounting of the multiple contact in such manner that the separable parts of the contact system may be progressively contacted for progressively closing the electric circuit. As illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 10, for example, the circuit through the high frequency contact is shown P completed after the contact face 2| of the contactor arm 22 has moved to its limit of travel. In the position illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 10 the multiplicity of contact members are all displaced away from the channel shaped member I1 by movement of the contact face 2| into contacting relation to the separate contact members carried by the separable leaf springs I-9 inclusive,

The contact members which are carried by the separable leaf springs |-9 each consist of striplike members represented, for example, at 23 having a large surface area and high electrical conductivity. Sheet silver is generally used to obtain low resistivity and high electrical conductivity for the high frequency currents. In Fig. 5 I have shown the sheet-like member 23 bent upon itself in substantially U-shaped section with the sides thereof suciently spaced to enable the contact member to be slipped over the end of the spring strip indicated, for example, by reference character I. The sheet-like member 23, after it is moved into the position illustrated in Fig. 5, is pressed into intimate engagement with the strip I as represented in Figs. 6 and 7. The strip I is apertured at. Ia and Ib at spaced intervals transversely of the strip and these apertures serve to receive protuberances indicated at 23a, 23h, 23e and 23d forced from the material of the sheetlike member 23 under pressure directed thereagainst in the direction of arrows 24. In addition to the interlocking engagement between the sheet-like member 23 and the strip I provided by the protuberances 23a, 23h, 23e and 23d, I provide a solder connection which takes the form of a thin film indicated generally at 23e which spreads between the juncturel of the exterior faces of the strip I and the interior faces of the sheet-like member 23.

A similar arrangement of contact faces is pro- 4 vided for each of the resilient strips forming the multiple contact system. Each of the strip-like members are bent at right angles to the place thereof immediately below the edge extremities of the sheet-like strips represented, for example, at 23 so that the high frequency contact surface of each sheet-like member is directed in a plane which is substantially normal to the plane of the resilient strip-like member which carries the sheet-like member. The ends of all of the striplike members are bent uniformly, that is, to the same depth so that each of the contacts have the same effective length. The sheet-like members carried by the associated strip-like members are represented at 24, 25, 26, 21, 23, 29, 30 and 3| and constituting the multiple contacts are each independently displaceable under the pressure exerted by contact 2| as it moves into engagement with the multiple contacts. Inasmuch as large surface area for the distribution of high frequency currents is desirable for promoting efficiency, the multiple contact system of my invention ideally carries out the maintenance of high electrical conductivity and low resistivity.

As illustrated in Fig. 8 sheet-like members 23, 24 and 2'5 constitute the initial contacting abutments for the contact surface 2| as the switch arm 22 is shifted angularly toward the multiple contactor. As the swinging of the switch arm continues contact surface 2I progressively establishes connection with surfaces of the sheet-like members 2S, 2l', 28, 23, 3|) and 3|. In Fig. 9, for example, the switch arm 22 has moved to a position in which leaf springs I, 2 and 3 carrying sheet-like members 23, 24 and 25 have each been further displaced and sheet-like members constituting contact surfaces 23, 21, 28 and 29 carried respectively by strips 4, 5, 6 and 1 have progressively established contact with contact surface 2 I.

As the switch arm 22 continues to move in the direction of the arrow 32 the sheet-like members 30 and 3| carried by strips 8 and 9 have the electrical circuit completed therethrough with contact surface 2l. It will be observed that the fanlike strips change in their spacial relation as the switch arm 22 moves contact surface 2| into 'er1- gagement with the sheet-like members finally effecting displacement of the entire group of multiple strips away from the flat strip I1 as illustrated in Fig. l0. Thus a yielding abutment is provided for the movable contactor and a large surface area for the flow of high frequency currents is assured.

On the return stroke of the switch arm 22 the multiple contactor just described is released and the separation between the Contact surface 2| and the sheet-like members 3|, 30, 29, 23, 21, 26. 25, 24 and 23 are separated from surface contact with contact surface 2| in the reverse progressive order in which the connection was initially established. As switch arm 22 continues its reverse movement the contact surface 33 carried thereby is brought into registration with the oppositely disposed contact member which I have represented at 34. The contact surface 33 is secured to the switch arm 22 through a rivet connection 35 which also secures the contact surface 2| in position. In addition there is a rivet 35 for securing the lower end of contact surface 33 in position whereby contact surface 33 is presented to the progressive multiple contacter represented at 34. Tubular switch arm 22 is attened out of round and is bent on axes extending at obtuse angles to each other to present the contact surfaces 2I and 33 to the echelon contacts.

The multiple contactor 34 is constructed in a manner similar to the multiple contactor heretofore described in that contactor includes a multiple number of contact surfaces which I have represented at 35, 36, 31, 38, 39, 4|J, 4I and 42 which become progressively effective in establishing connection with the contact surface 33 in the order named as the switch arm 22 moves about its pivot into connection with the contactor. The contactor 34 includes a multiplicity of resilient strips stacked one with respect to the other in a manner identical to the arrangement heretofore explained and fastened at their ends shown at 43 and secured by means of screw 44 to the angle 45. A fiat abutment strip 45 provided in surface contact with angle 45 and between the side portions of the channel member 50 serves as an abutment for the resilient strips. Channel member 53 is shaped in a manner similar to channel member I6 and functions as a guide for the strips of the multiple contactor 34. Angle d5 is secured by suitable means such as bolt member lll to the insulated structure i9 in the required angular position to properly present the multiple contacter to the movable contacts as they shift angularly between the contactors.

Electric current terminals are'provided for the multiple contactors as represented at A8 4and 49 suitably insulated through the support I8.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated one form of magnetic actuator which may be employed `for the switch system of my invention. The magnetic actuator shown is similar to the actuator illustrated in my Letters Patent 2,125,436, granted August 2, 1938, for I-Iigh frequency electrical switch and electromagnetic actuating means therefor. It is suflicient to indicate herein that solenoid 50 operates to move armature 5l which is pivoted at 52 and which carries the operating switch arm 22 as shown. Details of the switch construction are immaterial and various forms of switch may be used to operate in coaction with the multiple contacter of my invention.

The multiple contacter of my invention has been found to be highly practical in construction and production and very efl'icient in operation nasmuch as large surface area is provided for the flow of high frequency currents.

While I have described my invention in one of its preferred embodiments, I desire that it be understood that modifications may be made and no limitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. A multiple contacter comprising, a multiplicity of resilient strip members stacked face to face and united at one end and free to move in a fan-like spread at their opposite ends as said strip members are moved toward or away from an abutting contact, said resilient strip members having their ends bent at an angle to the surface thereof and having a pair of symmetrically arranged spaced apertures at said bent ends, said sheet-like contact members enveloping said bent ends and being extruded into the pair of symmetrically arranged apertures in the bent ends of said strip members for forming contacts operative to establish progressive connection with said fixed contact, said contact members each extending in substantially parallel planes substantially `normal to the face of said strip members.

2. A multiple contactor comprising, a multiplicity of resilient strip members of progressively varying length stacked face to face and united at one end and free to move in a fan-like spread at their opposite ends as an abutting contact establishes contacting relation therewith, contact members carried by said strip members in echelon arrangement, the echelon arrangement varying from a minimum projection adjacent the end of the multiple contacter to a maximum projection displaced from the end of the multiple contactor for progressively establishing connection with an abutting contact, and said resilient strip members varying from minimum resiliency in the longest of said strip members to maximum resiliency in the shortest of said strip members for controlling the displacement of said multiple contactor. y

3. A multiple contacter comprising a. multiplicity of resilient strip members of progressively varying length stacked face to face and united at one end and free to move in a fan-like spread at their opposite ends as an abutting contact establishes contacting relation therewith, contact members carried by said strip members in echelon arrangement, the echelon arrangement varying from a minimum projection adjacent the end of the multiple contacter to a maximum projection displaced from the end of the multiple contactor for progressively establishing connection with an abutting contact, and said resilient strip members varying from maximum thickness in the longest of said strip members to minimum thickness in the shortest of said strip members for controlling the displacement of said multiple contactor.

4. A multiple contactor comprising a multiplicity of resilient strip members stacked face to face,

. each of said strip members being turned at one end thereof and projecting for a uniform distance therefrom and carrying contactors free for ldisplacement in a fan-like spreadv with respect stricted fan-like spreading thereof for effecting a multiplicity of spaced electrical connections with the contact surface.

5. A multiple contactor comprising a multiplicity of aligned resilient strip members stacked face to face, each of said strip members being turned at one end thereof and projecting for a uniform distance therefrom and carrying contactors free for displacement in a fan-like spread with respect to an abutting contact surface and a, guide member constituting a plate secured adjacent the conned ends of said resilient strip members,said plate having a pair of coextensive projecting portions extending adjacent the opposite edges of said strip members and sufliciently spaced therefrom to allow said members to move in an unrestricted fan-like spread while maintaining their aligned relation throughout the displacement in a fan-like spread.

JOSEPH F. FRESE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,075,749 Badeau Oct. 14, 1913 1,155,157 Lewis Sept. 28, 1915 1,630,359 Scott May 31, 1927 1,816,052 Mann July 28, 1931 1,896,560 Russell Feb. 7, 1933 1,952,679 Leveen Mar. 27, 1934 2,246,301 Hanna et al June 17, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 28,746 Great Britain 1913 

